2017 ORS
109.385¹

Readoption proceeding

• prima facie evidence

• petition

• required contents

• service

• exhibits

• finding regarding inaccurate birthdate

• fees

(1) As used in this section, “readoption” means to adopt a person, including but not limited to a minor child, who was previously adopted in a foreign nation, pursuant to the laws of the state.

(2) An adoption in a foreign nation under the laws of that nation of a person who is at the time of the adoption a national of the nation by adoptive parents, at least one of whom is a citizen of the United States, shall be recognized as a valid and legal adoption for all purposes in the State of Oregon if the adoption is valid and legal in the foreign nation where the adoption occurred, unless the adoption violates fundamental principles of human rights or the public policy of the state or of the federal government.

(3) A copy of a decree, order, judgment, certificate or other document of adoption by adoptive parents, at least one of whom is a citizen of the United States, issued by a court or pursuant to an administrative proceeding of competent jurisdiction in the foreign nation is prima facie evidence in any court or administrative proceeding in this state that the adoption was legal and valid.

(4) Notwithstanding subsection (2) of this section, an adoptive parent who has adopted a person in a foreign nation may petition the court for readoption for the purpose of obtaining a judgment of adoption from the circuit court of the county in which the petitioner resides.

(6) A petition for readoption must be signed by the petitioner and, unless stated in the petition why the information or statement is omitted, must contain the following:

(a) The full name of the petitioner;

(b) The current marital or domestic partnership status of the petitioner;

(c) If the readoption is of a minor child, information sufficient for the court to establish that the petitioner has complied with the jurisdictional requirements of ORS 109.309 (Petition for adoption) (4);

(d) The gender and full birth name, adopted name and any other alias of the person sought to be readopted;

(e) A statement of the place and date of the person’s birth in the foreign nation;

(f) A statement that the foreign adoption is legal and valid under the laws of the nation in which the adoption occurred and the date of the adoption;

(g) A statement that the person’s entry into the United States has complied with applicable federal immigration laws;

(h) If the readoption is of a minor child, a statement that a home study was completed and approved prior to the foreign nation adoption of the minor child;

(i) If the readoption is of a minor child, whether a continuing contact agreement exists under ORS 109.305 (Interpretation of adoption laws) or a similar law applicable to the nation where the foreign nation adoption occurred, including the names of the parties to the agreement and the date of execution;

(j) A statement of the desired new adoptive name for the person to be readopted;

(k) If applicable, a statement that the birthdate listed on the person’s foreign nation birth documents is believed to be inaccurate and a description of the evidence that supports the petitioner’s belief;

(L) A statement requesting the clerk of the court, upon payment of any required fees, to issue to the petitioner a certificate of adoption under ORS 109.410 (Certificate of adoption) and a certified copy of the general judgment of adoption; and

(m) A statement that indicates whether the minor child is an Indian child as defined in the Indian Child Welfare Act (25 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.) and, if required by the Indian Child Welfare Act:

(A) A statement of the efforts to notify the appropriate Indian tribe or tribes of the adoption; and

(B) A statement of the efforts to comply with the placement preferences of the Indian Child Welfare Act or the placement preferences of the appropriate Indian tribe.

(7) Within 30 days after being filed with the court, the petitioner shall serve copies of the petition and the documents filed as exhibits under subsection (9) of this section on the Director of Human Services by either registered or certified mail with return receipt or personal service.

(8) A petition filed under this section must, if applicable, request the following:

(a) Entry of a general judgment of adoption;

(b) That the petitioner be permitted to readopt the person as the child of the petitioner for all legal intents and purposes;

(c) A finding that the court has jurisdiction over the adoption proceeding, the parties and the person sought to be readopted;

(d) Approval of a change to the name of the person to be readopted;

(e) If applicable, a finding that a continuing contact agreement entered into under ORS 109.305 (Interpretation of adoption laws), or a similar law applicable to the nation where the foreign nation adoption occurred, is in the best interests of the minor child and that the court incorporate the continuing contact agreement by reference into the adoption judgment;

(f) If applicable, a finding that the evidence of the person’s birthdate listed on the foreign nation adoption documents is inaccurate and that the evidence presented by the petitioner supports a change to the birthdate of the person to be readopted;

(h) If the readoption is of a minor child, that all records, papers and files in the record of the readoption case be sealed as provided under ORS 109.319 (Separate record of the case); and

(i) Any other relief requested by the petitioner.

(9) A petition filed under this section must, if applicable, have the following attached as exhibits:

(a) True copies of the foreign nation birth certificate of the person to be readopted, accompanied by an English translation, if necessary;

(b) True copies of the foreign nation adoption decree, order, judgment, certificate or similar document accompanied by an English translation, if necessary;

(c) True copies of the foreign nation passport and proof of legal residency in the United States for the person sought to be readopted;

(d) If applicable, a true copy of any continuing contact agreement entered into under ORS 109.305 (Interpretation of adoption laws) or a similar law applicable to the nation where the foreign nation adoption occurred;

(f) Any other supporting documentation necessary to comply with the petition requirements in this section.

(10)(a) An Adoption Summary and Segregated Information Statement must be filed concurrently with every petition for readoption of a minor child. The statement must summarize information in the readoption proceeding and include additional information and attached exhibits as required under this subsection. The statement must contain, at a minimum, the following information if known or readily ascertainable by the petitioner:

(A) The full name, permanent address and telephone number of each petitioner;

(B) The current full name, the proposed adoptive name and the date and place of birth of the minor child;

(B) A report of adoption on a form prescribed and furnished by the State Registrar of the Center for Health Statistics as required under ORS 432.223 (Reports of adoption).

(c) The petitioner has a continuing duty to inform the court of any change to the information required by this subsection or when information that was not previously known or ascertainable becomes known or ascertainable.

(12) The requirements for keeping a separate record of the case, for sealing the records, papers and files in an adoption proceeding and for the conditions under which inspection and copying of sealed records, papers and files in the court’s record of an adoption case set forth in ORS 109.319 (Separate record of the case) apply to proceedings for readoption under this section.

(13)(a) The court may find that a person’s birthdate listed on the person’s foreign nation birth documents is inaccurate based upon a finding that the preponderance of the evidence demonstrates that the birthdate is inaccurate and that the age or birthdate proposed by the petitioner is accurate.

(b) Evidence that the court may consider in making the finding and order under this subsection includes, but is not limited to, one or more of the following:

(A) Medical evaluations;

(B) Birth certificates;

(C) School records;

(D) Dental evaluations;

(E) Psychological evaluations;

(F) Bone density tests; and

(G) Social evaluations.

(14) The fee imposed and collected by the court for the filing of a petition under this subsection shall be in accordance with ORS 21.145 (Simple proceeding filing fee), except that when separate petitions for readoption of multiple minor children are concurrently filed under this section by the same petitioner, one filing fee shall be charged for the first petition filed and the filing fees for concurrently filed petitions shall not be charged. [1961 c.95 §§2,3; 2015 c.511 §9]

3 OregonLaws.org assembles these lists by analyzing references between Sections. Each
listed item refers back to the current Section in its own text. The result reveals
relationships in the code that may not have otherwise been apparent.

Stay Connected

Committed to Public Service

We will always provide free access to the current law.
In addition, we provide special support
for non-profit, educational, and government users.
Through social entre­pre­neurship,
we’re lowering the cost of legal services and increasing
citizen access.